Wildflower Writes

Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash As the sun sets on another Easter, I reflect on a week honoring Jesus’ last days on earth, including his death and resurrection. One of my favorite parts of the Easter story is when the women go to finish preparing the body, and upon arriving at the empty tomb, meet a couple of angels. They ask the women: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” I wonder how often we don’t find what we’re looking for because we’re looking in the wrong place. We look for a sense of worth in the opinions of others. We look for meaning in the words of celebrities. We look for fulfillment in how well we perform at school or work. When we seek all the good things of life, such as love, security, and meaning, in the world, we’re looking in the wrong places. The world is like a tomb. It is only an empty shell without Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He is the source of all good things, the only way to know and be reconciled to God, th

Photo by  Alexander Milo  on  Unsplash   There’s a quote by C.S. Lewis- You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. Words like this remind us that a situation is never hopeless, and we’re never helpless. In every dark place there is still light to be found. In any kind of pain, there can be healing. No matter how powerless we feel, we can always choose our attitude and our response. Change is hard. It requires courage, persistence, and faith. And it always seems like the initial steps don’t matter, don’t make a difference. The fact is, if you take 2000 steps, you’ve walked a mile. It’s just a matter of continuing in the right direction. Whatever is in your way right now, don’t give up and don’t lose hope.

Photo by  Dennis Klein  on  Unsplash I had just come out of a meeting with my supervisor. My next few weeks of work were pretty much lined up for me, and I was feeling stressed. Over the course of the workday, three different co-workers popped in my office to offer me sweet snacks, including Rise ‘n’ Roll’s infamous cinnamon caramel donuts. This never happens. Some days I hole up in my office and will only see someone on the way to filling up my coffee cup. I’m not sure if everyone was feeling the first of the week/ first of the month optimism, but I love that I work with people who are always thinking about how they can improve someone else’s day. I’m not a big Valentine’s Day fan, but kindness and love are always in style. 

Photo by  Diana Polekhina  on  Unsplash   As a former athlete and musical theater participant, you would think I’d be graceful and coordinated. This is not the case. I’m kinda clumsy. In fact, as a teenager, my church youth group nicknamed me “Niagara” as in, “Niagara Falls.” I’m not better. I still have a scar on my thumb where I tried to open a cinnamon roll can with a knife. I have several burn scars from my stints in food service (and one from a fireplace). I’ve tripped four times on my morning jog- once while running from zombies (long story). The last time I tripped, I stepped off a sidewalk onto an uneven brick-paved road. I tried to jump up and continue my run, but I had scraped up my arm and leg and hurt my ego as well as my body. I walked home and cleaned myself up. It was ugly to look at. It hurt to walk. But every day the wounds shrunk and the pain was less, until only a scar was left. The pain after my fall let me know I needed to clean up and bandage my wounds.

Photo by  Michael Henry  on  Unsplash The microwave beeped. The lights went out. All was silent. Another power outage. I resigned myself to getting ready for work in the dark. A single flashlight provided just enough light to make sure my clothes matched and my hair was tamed. At some point I wandered to the window in another room to observe the darkened neighborhood, eerie in the predawn gloom. I realized I could see the furniture in the room, which should have been impossible with no electricity and no lights. The tiny flashlight from two rooms away was emitting enough light for me to see where I was going. Sometimes we think our light isn’t very bright, that the good we do is unnoticed or inconsequential. In a dark world, every light is important; every light is seen. Keep shining.

Photo by  Benjamin Suter  on  Unsplash   I’ve heard it said, “Never meet your heroes. You’re sure to be disappointed.” I’m sure that’s a fair warning if your heroes are celebrities- actors, sports stars, or musicians. Given the percentage of people who are jerks in the world, a celebrity has as good a chance as any to be kind… or not. My favorite heroes are unsung. Single parents who are making it work. Underappreciated service workers. Pastors and chaplains. People who get up every day with a smile on their face and brighten their world. I’ve met some of these heroes. I’ve never been disappointed. The more I’ve learned about them, the more I’ve been humbled, amazed, blessed, and inspired. If you’re worried about meeting your heroes, maybe it’s time to find someone else to look up to. As we know, not all heroes wear capes.